Plans to Extend Streetcar to UMKC

KC Streetcar ridership continues to increase and the need to provide additional service, and track, is in demand. With the community’s resounding support to form a Transportation Development District (TDD) to fund a southern streetcar line to the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), the KC Streetcar Authority and their partners are wasting no time jumpstarting the necessary engineering and planning work to make the project a reality.

Today, the KC Streetcar Authority (KCSA), in coordination with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) and the City of Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO) issued notice to proceed to begin planning work on the Streetcar Southern Extension project. A team led by HDR Engineering will provide the planning and engineering services with support from Burns & McDonnell, HNTB, Trekk Design Group, Hg Consult, Parson + Associates, VSM Engineering and Architectural & Historical Research.

This phase of planning, estimated at approximately $1 million, is jointly funded by the KCSA and KCATA. The planning and engineering work is estimated to take 9 months.

“We are thrilled to be working hand-in-hand with our partners with the KCATA and KCMO, to detail specific plans for a southern streetcar extension and related bus improvements connecting downtown to University of Missouri, Kansas City’s campus,” said Tom Gerend, executive director, KC Streetcar Authority. “This effort is a critical step towards advancing the region’s transit vision and completing the due diligence that will be required to make this vision a reality.”

The KC Streetcar Southern Extension planning will focus on following:

Data collection (utilities, current conditions, etc.)

Refining alignment details (curb-running / center-running)

Station stop locations and terminus configuration

Plan for coordinated regional transit service integration and improvement

Updated cost estimates

Initiation of federal funding process

The KC Streetcar Southern Extension planning will build upon the downtown streetcar service and will support work required to further develop and advance the southern extension towards the University of Missouri, Kansas City (UMKC).

The primary area for this effort extends from downtown Kansas City and Union Station, south to UMKC in the vicinity of 51st and Brookside Boulevard. The area is generally bounded on the west by Broadway Boulevard and on the east Gillham Road.

The study will be managed by a local partnership between KCSA, the KCATA and KCMO, and the approach will be inclusive of key project stakeholders in Kansas City and on the proposed route such as property owners, residents, neighborhood groups, community organizations, etc.